Holyoke Soldiers’ Home former superintendent and former medical director arraigned on criminal neglect charges

The Holyoke Soldiers’ Home’s former superintendent, Bennett Walsh, and former medical director David Clinton were arraigned on criminal neglect charges in Hampden County Superior Court on Thursday for their roles in the deadly COVID-19 outbreak that contributed to the deaths of at least 76 residents at the facility.

Walsh, 50, of Springfield, and Clinton, 71, of South Hadley, were released without bail after not guilty pleas were entered on their behalf.

Assistant Attorney General Kaushal Rana requested that they be released on the conditions that they not work in any long-term care facility, that they stay away from the victims’ family members and any witnesses, that they have monthly probation check-ins and that they notify probation before leaving the state. But Judge Edward J. McDonough released them without any conditions. They are due back in court on Feb. 3.

Walsh and Clinton were indicted by a statewide grand jury in September on five counts each charging them as a caretaker who wantonly or recklessly commits or permits bodily injury to an elder or disabled person and a caretaker who wantonly or recklessly commits or permits abuse, neglect or mistreatment to an elder or disabled person.

“We began this investigation on behalf of the families who lost loved ones under tragic circumstances and to honor these men who bravely served our country,” Attorney General Maura Healey said at the time. “We allege that the actions of these defendants during the COVID-19 outbreak at the facility put veterans at higher risk of infection and death and warrant criminal charges.”

The prosecution is principally focused on a March 27, 2020, decision to consolidate two dementia units into one, which resulted in the placement of symptomatic residents, including confirmed COVID-19-positive residents, and asymptomatic residents within feet of each other, increasing the exposure of asymptomatic veterans to the virus.

The AG’s Office alleges those decisions, which were ultimately the responsibility of Walsh and Clinton, were reckless and increased the likelihood that asymptomatic veterans at SHH would contract COVID-19 and put them at higher risk of death and harm.

Prosecutors also alleges that, faced with staffing shortages, SHH decided to consolidate the two dementia units, totaling 42 residents, even though the two units contained residents with different COVID-19 statuses.

The AG’s Office alleges that several of the residents that SHH categorized as “asymptomatic” were, in fact, showing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 at the time of the consolidation or shortly thereafter.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/366Hs9j